The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

The whole universe was enveloped in darkness.
The atmosphere being filled with dust, neither the
cardinal nor the subsidiary points of the horizon
could, O king, be distinguished. Loud roars were
heard in the sky without any being being visible from
whom these could emanate. This wonderful phenomenon,
O king, was noticed all over the country. A south-westerly
wind, with the harsh rattle of the thunder, uprooting
trees by the thousands, crushed the city of Hastinapura.
In those places, however, O Bharata, through which
he of Vrishni’s race passed, delicious breezes
blew and everything became auspicious. Showers
of lotuses and fragrant flowers fell there. The
very road became delightful, being free from prickly
grass and thorns. At those places where he stayed,
Brahmanas by thousands glorified that giver of wealth
with (laudation) and worshipped him with dishes of
curds, ghee, honey, and presents of wealth. The
very women, coming out on the road, strewed wild flowers
of great fragrance on the person of that illustrious
hero, devoted to the welfare of all creatures.
He then came upon a delightful spot called Salibhavana
which was filled with every kind of crops, a spot
that was delicious and sacred, after having, O bull
of the Bharata race, seen various villages abounding
in bees, and picturesque to the eye, and delightful
to the heart, and after having passed through diverse
cities and kingdoms. Always cheerful and of good
hearts, well-protected by the Bharatas and therefore
free from all anxieties on account of the designs of
invaders, and unacquainted with calamities of any
kind, many of the citizens of Upaplavya, coming out
of their town, stood together on the way, desirous
of beholding Krishna. And beholding that illustrious
one resembling a blazing fire arrived at the spot,
they worshipped him who deserved their worship with
all the honours of a guest arrived in their abode.
When at last that slayer of hostile heroes, Kesava,
came to Vrikasthala, the sun seemed to redden the
sky by his straggling rays of light. Alighting
from his car, he duly went through the usual purificatory
rites, and ordering the steeds to be unharnessed,
he set himself to say his evening prayers. And
Daruka also, setting the steeds free, tended them according
to the rules of equine science, and taking off the
yokes and traces, let them loose. After this
was done, the slayer of Madhu said, ’Here must
we pass the night for the sake of Yudhishthira’s
mission. Ascertaining that to be his intention,
the attendants soon set a temporary abode and prepared
in a trice excellent food and drink. Amongst
the Brahmanas, O king, that resided in the village,
they that were of noble and high descent, modest,
and obedient to the injunctions of the Vedas in their
conduct, approached that illustrious chastiser of
foes, Hrishikesa, and honoured him with their benedictions
and auspicious speeches. And having honoured him
of Dasarha’s race that deserveth honour from
every one, they placed at the disposal of that illustrious
person their houses, abounding in wealth. Saying
unto them—­’Enough’—­the
illustrious Krishna paid them proper homage, each
according to his rank, and wending with them to their
house, he returned in their company to his own (tent).
And feeding all the Brahmanas with sweet-meats and
himself taking his meals with them, Kesava passed
the night happily there.’”